Station-indicator



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. s. MALLARD. STATION INDICATOR.

No. 471,874. Patented Man-'29, 1892.

Y /N VENTOH A TTOHNE Y8 (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. s. MALLARD. STATIONINDIGATOR.

No. 471,874. Patented Mar; 29, 1892.

I S e U o O a WITNESSES: Iv VENTOI? B) Z Arron/vars we now Q UNITED STATEs VILLIAM S. MALLARD,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF DARIEN, GEORGIA.

STATION-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,874, dated March 29, 1892.

Application filed May 4, 1891.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. MALLARD, residing at Darien, McIntosh county, in the State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Station-Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relatesto station-indicatorsfor steam and horse railways, as well as other conveyances and the purpose thereof is toprovide a simple and novel construction and combination of parts whereby the separate sign cards or slides bearing the names of the different stations or points to be called may be successively shifted from one compartment -to another of a dual casing and then returned to the compartment from which they were taken in a reverse order of succession.

One of the objects of my invention is to render the mechanism by which this transposition is effected automatic in action, and to provide simple means whereby the passage of the final card in either direction shall automatically reverse the transposin g devices and bring them into proper position to return the cards to the compartment from which they were originally taken.

My. invention also has for its object to provide means of a simple character for securing the sign-slides, successively, into their re-, spective holding-compartments and to always bring one of such plates to the sight-opening in the casing without undue friction, whereby the proper order of stations is preserved and the indicator adapted to read in both directions of movements of the car.

My invention has, finally, for its object to provide an indicator for the purpose described which can be produced at a much less cost, which is more effective in its use, and easier to manipulate than indicators of this character now in general use.

To these ends my invention consists in the peculiar combination and novel arrangement of the several parts, all of which will hereinafter be fully described in the annexed specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my improved indicator, taken on the line 1 1, Fig. 2, all but one of the indicator-slides having been Serial No. 391,578. (No model.)

moved from the upper-to the lower compartment. Fig. 2 is an end View of the shifting and moving devices, showing all ofthe slides as having left the upper compartment and the upper follower down to its lowermost limit. Fig. 3 illustrates the position of the shifting and operating devices when the operating-cord has been pulled down to its limit. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section of the indicator, taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated bythe arrow,

.the parts being in position to shift from the lower to the upper compartment. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the shifting devices, showing the same in position for shifting the signslides from the upper to the lower comparttirely across the said side of the casing through which the different slides .or plates may be seen.

The general construction of my indicator consists of a longitudinal operating-shaft arranged to be revolved in reverse directions by the operating-cord, which cord always operates in one direction, and above andlbelow such shaft I arrange compartments adapted to receive. and hold the several indicator}, slides, which in their movement fromtheup per to the lower, or vice versa, are first fed from such compartments to the sight-opening and then to the respective compartment.

Upon such shaft are loosely mounted wheels or disks, which carry certain automatically operated shift-ing'deviceswhich serve to en gage the outermost plates in the. compartment in which they may be stored and carry the-same at the first-operation to the sightopening and at the next operation to the opposite compartment, the said shifting devices being so arranged that as the last plate in either of the compartments is about to be moved to the sight-opening such devices will be automatically shifted, so that at the next operation of the indicator the slides will move in a'reverse direction.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, A indicates the casing or fra1ne,'preferably of the shape shown, which is divided into a main chamber A and end chambers A A by means of the vertical partitions on a, the central chamber A being divided into a central longitudinal chamber 13 and longitudinal compartments 0 C, arranged, respectively, above an d below the said central chamber B, as shown.

D indicates a shaft journaled in the parti= tion's a a centrally of the chamber B, upon which are mounted the indicator-plate-carrying wheels 'E, fixed to turn with said shaft, said wheels being formed with broad rims e, in which are secured the automatically-operated gravity-pawls F, which are arranged to engage the indicator-slides presently referred to and bring them to the sight-opening G in the casing in the manner hereinafter explained. Each of the wheels E is provided with eight of such pawls arranged in two sets, one set of which is arranged to engage the indicator-slides in one direction of movement of such wheels and the other to engage such slides on the reverse movement thereof. By. referring to Fig. 4 it will be seen thatcach of such pawls is pivoted upon the inner face of the rims of the wheels E, one end thereof being weighted, as at fiand provided with springs 3 5 f,which bear against the said rims and serve to normally force the hooked ends f out through slotse' in the rims e beyond the face of such rims, said hooked ends being beveled, as shown.

As before stated,-the different sets of pawls are arranged to operate the slides in reverse directions. To this end the said sets are arranged reversely-i. e., the hooked ends of one set being projected in a reverse direction to the opposite set. Thus should the parts be in the position shown in Fig. 4 to operate in the direction indicated by the arrow the outer set will be imposition to carry the slides from the lower to the upper compartment. The inner set'of pawls during this operation will engage the slides H with their beveled ends and ride over such slides, and when the parts are set to carry the slides II from the upper pawls operate to move the slides in the directions or streets. in the lower compartment are normally forced made fast to said flange.

weighted curved end of the outer set of pawls F, while the other I projects over the lower rim of the wheel in the path of the weighted ends of the inner set of pawls. From Figs. 1 and 4; of the drawings the operation of such construction will be readily understood. The pawl which brings the plate to the respective compartments will, after it has doneso, be tilted on its pivot, so that its hooked end will vbe drawn inside of the rim of the wheel E. It

will also be observed that. a space J is formed between the rims of the" wheels E and the walls of the chamber B, in which the plates are moved, and that the outer one of the slides projects outof its respective compartment, so as to be in the path of the particular pawl which is to move it, and toprovide means for forcing such projecting slides E into the compartments during the operation of moving the last indicator-slide from the sight-opening to partments, so that the next slide can be moved under or over the same.

The several indicator slides H are each formed of segmental plates, which are curved -1, the body portion proper of such slides be ing reduced in thickness, so as to avoid undue friction between the slides, and upon the outer face of such plates are printed, painted, or otherwise formed the names of the several sta- The slides as they are seated upward by means of the spring-actuated fol lower K, while the plates in the upper oompartment are normally forced downward by their own weight and that of the follower K. In order to render the-mechanism wholly automatic, as before stated, I provide the .means (clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3) for shifting the shaft-turning devices, consisting of a hub L, fixedly held on the shaft D and formed with a flange L, upon which is loosely mounted the disk M, formed with a rear-' wardly-projecting annular flange m, the periphery of which is grooved and forms a seat for the operating-cord I, which at one end is Fitted upon the face of the hub L and made fast thereto is a disk N, formed with four radial notches n, as shown, with which are arranged to engage the pulling-pawls O, pivoted .fiange of the disk M, as shown in Fig. 1.

upon the outer face of the disk M, such pawls being spring-actuated and normally forced toward the said toothed disk.

P indicates a discus which fits upon the outer face of the disk M and held fora slight free movement thereon and to turn therewith, being held locked thereto by means of springactuated locking-pawls Q R, which are arranged to engage locking-lugs S S, which are projected outward from segmental projections M on the disks M. By reference to Figs. 2.and 5 it will be seen that the said devices are so arranged relatively that when the shaft is to be turned in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 the lower pawl 0 will be held in engagement with the notched disk N, While the upper pawl will be freed therefrom, and the lower locking-pawl Rwill be held locked to the lug S; but when the shaft is to be moved into the position indicated by the arrow, Fig. 5, the upper pawl 0 will be in engagement with the notched disk N and its locking-pawl Qin engagement with the lug S. I

When the slides are to be moved from the lower to the upper compartment, the operator pulls down upon the cord I and turns the disk M one-quarter of a revolution, said movementbeing limited by means of the lug Z engaging the stops Z Z and the lower pawl 0, be-

'the wheelsE and theindicator-shiftingslides,-

as before stated, such shaft at each quarterturn being held to its adjusted positions by means of the automatically-operated stoplever T, pivoted at t to the main frame and formed on its inner face with a lug t, with which engages a cam X on the face of the disk M, such cam being arranged to engage the lug t at the beginning of each operation of the cord'I to move the lever T out of engagement with the notched disk N and to admit of its automatically engaging again the next succeeding notch in such disk N when the disk M resumes its normal position, which secured at one end to a collar u on the mainframe and at its other end to the annular will be seen by reference to Fig. 2 that the lower end of the pawl R projects beyond the edge of the ring'P, its rear surface q being slightly in advance of the rear edge q of a lug g on the said ring P.

One endof the upper andlower panel compartments is slotted, as at V, through which project arms k on the followers K K, such drawings. the upper compartment and the parts are in arms serving when the last plate in each comment are removed therefrom the follower K rises up, and as the disk M, with its carrier- .pawl, is turned to move the last card away from the sight-opening the follower K will come up and take its place in the lower com- :partment, the arm is thereof projecting out through the slotV in the path of the pawl R, @which, when the parts return to their normal iposition, will strike the said arm k ,be tripped i and pulled from en gagementwith the lug S, the ',lug q of the ring then engaging such arm 70', Iand arrests further movement of the ring P, ;the disk M, however, turning back to its limit, thereby causing the ring P to become shifted on said disk from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 5, the movement of the ring on the disk M'being limitediby ring also serving as a means of throwing the lower pawl 0 out of engagement with the disk N and the upper pawl into engagement with such disk, such operation being accomplished by means of a rocking lever Y, pivoted at-y to the disk M and formed with along arm g, which extends over the ring P between lugs y? M, and with oppositely-pro- 9 jecting arms y y which are arranged to al- .ternately engage the upper and lower pawls O Oin a manner clearly understood from the. When the slides are all locatedin the position shown in Fig. 5, the operator in pulling upon the cord to turn the disk M in the direction indicated by arrow 10 causes the upper pawl to lift out of the upper notch in the disk N and carries it over to the rear notch, into which such pawl will slip, the locking-lever T having been lifted out of enthe slot to and pin s, the movement of such gagement with such last-named notch in the manner before stated. Now when the operator releases his hold upon the cord I the spring, bringing the disk M back, pulls the disk N and shaft D in a reverse direction, and thereby moves one of the slides from the upper compartment to the sight-opening.

When the last slide in the upper compartmentis to be moved therefrom, the pawl Q will pass under the arm is of the upper follower; but as the disk M is returned by the spring U the indicator-plate will be moved out of the compartment, thereby allowing such follower to fall and bring its arm 70 in the path of the pawl Q,whi ch,engaging such arm It, will be thrown out of engagement with the lug S." At the same' time a pivoted arm- 10 on the diskM, which projects over the ring P between a pair of lugs 20-20, will with its upper end engage said end Joand cause the ring to be shifted forward, so as to trip the devices and again set them in the p0sition shown in Fig. 2, when the machine will I ing the slides from the lower to the upper compartment.

again be in position for the operation of mov- As a convenience I form the front of the easing into a hinged portion, which is held locked, as shown.

Having in a general way outlined the operation of my invention, a detailed statement of the operation is deemed unnecessary, such operation and advantages being readily understood from the above description and the drawings. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a station-indicator, the combination of the casing formedwith a central longi- -tudinal chamber formed with a sight-openpose described.

2. A station-indicator comprising a casing,

a central longitudinal chamber formed with a' sight-opening in one face thereof, longitudinal compartments arranged one above and the other below said central chamber and opening therein, indicator-slides held in said.

compartments and normally pressed toward the central chamber, a shaft journaled in the central chamber, arranged to be revolved in reverse directions, the wheels E, carrying shifting-pawls adapted to engage said slides, fixedly secured to said shaft, and an operatingcord extended to the outside of the casing, arranged to partially revolve said shaft when pulled upon, whereby to carry the slides from one compartment to the sight-opening and then to the. opposite compartment, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of the case A, formed with a circular central chamber B, having a sight-opening, the compartments 0 O, the indicator-slides and followers held therein, the shaft D, journaled in the central chamber, carrying the wheels E E, provided with a series of pawls F, arranged in sets, one set to operate reversely to the other, each set arranged to engage the slides in the compartments in one direction of movement and pass under them in a reverse direction, and means for partially revolving the shaft at each operation of the machine, whereby to carry one slide from one compartment to the sightopening and the preceding indicator-slide to the opposite compartment, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination, with the casing formed with the longitudinalcompartments C C, the central circular chamber B between such compartments and communicating therewith, and the indicator-slides and followers heldin such compartments and normally pressed toward the central chamber, of the operatingshaft D, the'wheels E, formed with flanges e, secured to the shafts, the shifting-pawls F, arranged, as shown, upon said flanges, the hub L, secured upon said shaft, the disk M, loosely mounted on said hub L, formed with an annular flange, a spring connection between said disk M and the frame of the casing for returning such disk to its normal position, the notched disk N, secured to the hubs L, pawls on the disk M, arranged to engage said disk N, said disk M arranged for aquar- Y ter-revolution about said shaft D, and the operating-cord secured to said disk M, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination of the casing having a central chamber B, formed with a sightopening, the slide-compartments G and O',located above and below it, as shown, the indicator-slides held therein, the followers for normally forcing such slides toward the central chambers, said followers formed with projecting arms 70 70' at one end, the shaft D, journaled in the central chamber, the wheels E, carrying the shifting-pawls F, arranged in sets, each set adapted to work on opposite movements of the shaft D, cam projections on the wheels arranged to depress the slides ,in the compartment to which it is intended to move them, tripping devices arranged to depress the'pawls F as they carry the slide from the sight-opening to such compartment,

whereby said pawls will pass under the said slides, and shifting devices mounted upon the outer end of the shaft B, adapted to operate to turn the shaft and beengaged by the arms 7a, and be thereby set to turn the shaft in the 'upon disk M and adapted for a limited rotation thereon, the pawls Q and R, the lockstops S S, one of such stops and pawls normally in locked position, the shifting-lever Y, secured to the disk M and adapted to be 10 the lever 10 as it engages pawl R, the operating-cord I, secured to the disk M and pro jected to the outside of the casing, and means .for bringing the disk M back to its normal position, all arranged substantially as and" for the purpose described.

WILLIAM S. MALLARD. Witnesses:

MOD. DUNWODY, CHARLES S. WYLLY. 

